Sorrento or Amalfi

Hi again, Jean! Taking another shot at this trip eh?

From a recent post, it looks like you're planning this for Sept of 2022, correct? And given that other prior post (for Lake Garda)....

....can anyone recommend either a 2 bed, 2 bath condo or a B&B with
private bath on the Lake on the South end that is around the 100 Euro
rate? Converted to CAD is a little over $150.

...you are traveling with one other person or couple? To be honest, I think you'll have a tough time finding a 2 bed/2bath for that price in Sorrento during high season (Sept. is still very much in demand) if that's what you're looking for. Maybe you've budgeted for a higher nightly rate for the coast? Is that 100 euro budget per couple, which is still pretty low for Sorrento? We do have a fave hotel in Sorrento but it wouldn't fit that bill. Amalfi rates may or may not be less expensive so hang tight for recommendations.

Which one to stay in? How many nights do you intend to spend on the coast, where will you be coming from/heading off to after your stay, and what sort of sightseeing do you intend to do? All or some of this can affect the choice. For instance, if you are planning to see Pompeii, Herculaneum or day-trip to Naples, then I'd stay in Sorrento. Ferry journeys from there to Capri are also shorter than from Amalfi, and it has commuter train service. But if you intend to spend most of your time in Amalfi itself + Positano, Ravello, etc. then choose Amalfi.

Do you still have an issue with your back that affects your mobility?

Hi Kathy, planning on spending 4 nights in this area; and we have another couple with us. We stayed in Positano prior to this a few years ago and prefer it to Naples etc. I've checked some apt. in Sorrento but most are too far from town centre so may look at B&B's.

I get steroid shots which help so I'm able to power on as long as I can sit periodically; does slow me down but I'm not ready to give up traveling just yet! Thanks for asking...
I do need parking as we're headed to Rome for 5 nights prior to flying home... it'll be a 22+ day holiday without any 1 nighters.

Jean

Your title includes Sorrento which is not on the Amalfi Coast but near it. We stayed in a lovely two br two bath apartment with a/c, washing machine, laundry lines in rear, right off the main square with sweeping views of Bay of Naples and Vesuvius as well as the mountains from the back of the apt. It was reasonable when we were there but I fear rates have gone up. Worth checking it out. Google “Eden House Sorrento.” It was the owners’s parent’s apartment and she restored it beautifully.

It depends on what you plan to do--day trips are important when choosing a location here.
If you only want to see Amalfi coast and its villages, then stay in Amalfi. If day trips such as Naples, Pompeii are planned, then Sorrento.

I'm raising an eyebrow about using a car on the Sorrentine/Amalfi Coast in Sept. but based on a previous post, you're evidently not new to the challenges? This trip appears to have been within the past 5 years, and I'm including the info from that 2019 post as I suspect you might get additional feedback about driving this region for sightseeing purposes during high season.

Spent the next two weeks in a Villa in Tuscany then drove South to
Positano at the Albergo California with free parking for 3 nights then
to Rome for 4 nights. We dropped the car off in the outskirts of Rome
& took a taxi to our B&B.

I didn't suggest that you stay in Naples, just that Sorrento is more convenient if you intended to day-trip it from the coast. Herculaneum and the archeological museum are both popular attractions in the city/nearby.

Yes I understood that, just didn't type in that we've seen the Naples area, Pompeii etc. When we were there before, we drove to Positano then rented a driver to take us on the Amalfi drive so hubby could enjoy the sites rather than the road.
Thanks for all your help,

Jean

If your interest is Sorrento I can recommend Grand Hotel De La Ville. We stayed there several years ago with our tour group. It has a gorgeous view of the Gulf of Naples and Mt Vesuvias, convenient location, roof top bar, pool, lovely rooms and delicious buffet breakfast. It has a relaxed ambience. We would stay there again.

If you've seen Naples, and aren't planning on visiting this time around, and you've already seen Pompei, then to me Sorrento is off the board, unless y'all are fixated on seeing Capri, or even Ischia. Sorrento is nice--has maybe the best cuisine on the peninsula--but view-wise doesn't hold a candle to the A.C.

So on the actual Amalfi Coast, your choices are Positano (where you've stayed), Amalfi-town (just OK), Ravello (gorgeous but up the hill and not on the main drag). And then further towards Salerno (a possibility--we've stayed and it's wonderful), maybe Maiori, Minori or Cetara would float your boat. I'd check out all 3 of those little towns.

Be forewarned, however, as stated upthread, that September is still high season on the A.C., and wicked crowded. I wouldn't be able to tolerate the gridlock that sometimes happens. We've been twice in early March and it's deserted, pristine & drop-dead beautiful.

Hi Jay, I like your suggestions so will check out these towns... We're starting our trip late September so by the time we're in AC it'll be around the 8th of October so hopefully the crowds will have thinned out!

Thanks,
Jean

Hi Jean
Another suggestion for Sorrento. Our first trip to the AC we drove and stayed at Il Nido it is up the hill behind Sorrento but they do have parking on top of the hotel and have a shuttle bus down to Sorrento and back in the evening. They have an excellent restaurant (we spent 2 nights of our 3 at the restaurant with the most spectacular view of Vesuvius ) The hotel is very reasonable if I remember correctly. You also could take the Sita bus from Sorrento (very cheap) to Amalfi for the day The bus is a great way to see the coast and certainly you do not want to drive it. You can also take a bus from Amalfi up to Ravello. Consider taking the ferry from Amalfi back to Sorrento. The coastline is to die for. Whatever you decide enjoy. We are going again in early May 2022 with our daughter and granddaughter Pandemic allowing us to do so.

I was going to say that I prefer Positano to either of your choices but you mention you already have stayed there.
If you need parking, Would opt for Sorrento.
We stayed at the Hotel Bel Air which had amazing views and pool (also has parking).
https://belair.hotelmobilesite.com/?LANG=&LANG=

For Shelley,

"The bus is a great way to see the coast and certainly you do not want to drive it."

My entire intent FOR going IS the drive. Why would I NOT want to? Traffic? Dangerous?
I was there in July a few years back and to avoid the cruise TRAFFIC, I took a bus from Pompeii to Salerno, then shuttle busses north in spite of WANTING that drive for years.

Looks to me like Big Sur drive in CA which I did annually for years.

Jean, to follow up on Jay's thoughts . . . Thanks to his advice, I stayed in Salerno and loved it. Unlike the AC villages and Sorrento, it has a history that you can see in the well-preserved medieval centro storico. I found restaurants to be both better and cheaper. The town is mostly level and the B&B Jay recommended was wonderful, right on the edge of the centro storico, a short walk to the large sandy beach, the beautiful seaside promenade and not much farther to the buses and ferries, and train station too. I rented a car in Salerno and my B&B had discounted parking at a nearby underground garage - it was about €10 a day. I liked Sorrento very much when I wanted to use the Circumvesuviana, but for the AC, Salerno was ideal, including access to the main train lines.

And for rjschmoe - I drove the AC road in February when there was very little traffic and I've driven CA-1 from Monterrey to Cambria a couple of times. There's no comparison. CA-1 is an easy, relaxing drive (except now, of course) compared to the very narrow AC road with a goodly number of blind curves (buses honk as they approach them to alert oncoming traffic), significant stretches without shoulders (steep drop-off on one side, rock cliff on the other), and crazy (daredevil) Italian drivers on motorbikes as well as in cars.

Salerno: we haven't been yet but I'd vote with Chani and Jay if skipping Pompeii/Naples/Capri and wanting to concentrate on the Amalfi Coast. They both have had great things to stay about their experiences there, and I'd personally trust their judgement. :O)

Thank you all for your generous suggestions...very much appreciated!

Jean

Salerno: we haven't been yet but I'd vote with Chani and Jay if
skipping Pompeii/Naples/Capri and wanting to concentrate on the Amalfi
Coast. They both have had great things to stay about their experiences
there, and I'd personally trust their judgement. :O)

Thanks, Kate. We've been to the Amalfi Coast twice & haven't stayed there yet, partially because it was early March and nothing was open. Stayed in Sorrento once and Salerno the other time. The SITA bus from either place to the A.C. is really interesting, cheap and fun.

Salerno is, to me, the perfect size of a city (110,000) to have a little bustle, but respectful of the past with its 11th century cathedral, the vertical gardens, and a much bigger variety of cuisine than the Sorrentine peninsula. Walking around we spotted a Greek kind of fast food place, and had to stop. Delicious. We, believe it or not, had sushi another night at a hipster nightclub. In Salerno. Who knew? And then there was Pizzeria Trianon, wonderful Napolitan pizza for 7 Euro that was the best I've had in the entire country.

Despite both having beautiful views there is little in common between Big Sur Rt. 1 in California and the Amalfi Coast Drive.
Big Sur has really wide lanes, sweeping fun to drive curves and a wonderful, relaxing drive. It would be high on my list of places to drive a dream car.
Amalfi Coast Road on the other hand is traffic filled, super narrow, sharp/blind curves where the driver will be under high level of stress just to get from point A to point B. And that does not even account for buses taking up more than their lane and the scooters which take liberty passing slow cars anyway possible.

While I am not against driving it early mornings, evenings or even in day time for less crowded parts of the year, I am not under any impression the drive will be enjoyable as the driver even if the normal traffic is not present.
Really is best to leave it to the bus or ferry when you can.

The road landslide just outside of Amalfi might affect your decision...or will it be rebuilt by the time of your visit?

the expert on the Amalfi coast is the British ex-pat Nicki Positano (she does excellent vlogs twice a week)

My son is getting married in Morocco end of August 2022. Of course I will be flying from NYC to Marrakech to attend. However , being that close to the country of my heritage with the possibility of fulfilling a life long dream, We are considering flying to Italy for a few days after the wedding. It would be ideal to stay a few days in Positano and just take in local life. I’m looking for advise about the most economical, quickest and safest way to get from Morocco to Closest airport to Positano. I know that there are villas for rent up the stairs along the water and this sounds amazing but was also curious about local hotels. Any suggestions would be so greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

roroclay, Naples is the airport closest to Positano, but Rome is not terribly far.
I use Kayak for searching flights (Google is also good) and Booking.com for hotel searches.

Hi Rolo we stayed at this hotel in Positano and loved it: http://hotelcaliforniapositano.it/ It even has parking!

This was the hotel filmed in Under The Tuscan Sun with Diane Ladd.

Jean

Our stay at the Royal Prisco in Positano was like a dream. The downside was that they brought us breakfast every morning to enjoy on our terrace (spectacular view) and we never seemed to be able to get going in time to take the boat to Capri. Next time I guess! Also, the hotel is well located: Easy to walk down to the beach but not too far of a walk back up the hill.

One more thing. If you are returning to Positano from Ravello or Amalfi - - take the hydrofoil around sunset. It is spectacular and the boat pulls up onto the beach in Positano.

Thank you so very much for all the reply’s. I will do the research with some very good advice.
Thx again

Jean--wherever you stay, make sure you have--from a logistical standpoint--Plans B & C at the ready in case Plan A goes awry, which in Italy--and especially screwy (but beautiful) geography like the Sorrentine Peninsula--tends to happen more often than you'd think. Taxi, hydrofoil, SITA bus, private driver, hotel van/jitney, etc.

This is our 4th time to Italy so I do realize things can change overnight; i.e. train strikes etc. Always prepare for the unexpected. We have changed our itinerary as our friends can not now spend 3+ weeks so I've narrowed it down to 2 + weeks; 3 nights Venice, 7 nights Tuscan Villa & 5 nights in Rome + travel.
I'm ready to book our accommodations as soon as I can book our flights which won't be available to this November.

Thanks all,

Jean

Hi...we stayed at the Surriento Suites in Sorrento back in 2018...on Marina Piccola...short walk to (up really) to the center of town, but right on the bay of Naples with views of Vesuvius. The B&B host was amazingly nice and friendly. Also, she provides snacks/drinks in the room that you're free to nosh on...or you can go to a nearby restaurant where they offer you free breakfast. The snacks were quite extensive when we were there (salami, prosciutto, cheese, fruit, sweets, etc.). It made it easy to grab something quick in the morning and head out before the crowds. I believe there are only 3 rooms, so it books up quickly!
Enjoy!